News

WIFT NSW Press Release

Alarming statistics on sexual harassment in the Australian film and television industry.

10 November 2017

A confidential poll undertaken by Women In Film and Television NSW has revealed 58% of respondents have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, with a whopping 72% having experienced either harassment or discrimination which has negatively affected their career.

These harrowing figures sadly reflect the pattern identified by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, with stats released this week showing 53% of women had experienced sexual harassment during their life.

In the WIFT survey, more than half that responded ‘yes’ to having been harassed went on to detail their experiences with a shocking 29.5% who stated they had been sexually assaulted. An additional 34.5% were subjected to inappropriate touching.

Georgie McClean Head of Strategy and Governance at AFTRS says “It's disappointing to read these stats. They are a wakeup call for an industry wide cultural shift, particularly as more and more young women join the industry seeking a long-term career. We all have right to feel safe in our workplace, and not be exposed to harassment.”

These figures, alongside the experiences of women in the US and UK industries coming to the surface, highlight a tipping point for the Australian industry to take a look at what’s happening in its own backyard.

WIFT President Megan Riakos states: “These results are by no means an exhaustive set of data, but merely the tip of the iceberg and when you balance them against potential unreported incidences and the other issues facing women in the industry including gender bias and access to appropriate child care, we’re dealing with a tapestry of serious concerns.”

Further Ms Riakos says “WIFT are in discussions with key industry bodies and organisations to develop a sector wide approach to address this issue, with the immediate steps including the development of an industry wide agreement and a nationally streamed Sexual Harassment Industry Forum as a matter of urgency”